Bike been sitting...sitting....sitting....

Joined
Jun 22, 2008
Messages
1,339
Location
Colorado
Gang, I found and purchased a "barn bike".....

Ok, so most won't consider this a barn bike since it is still pretty new, but here's the story.... 60 year old purchased the bike back in 2009. Put 120 miles on it and then let it sit in the garage until this week... when I purchased it. It has been sitting for 9+ years. Of course it won't start.... so my work begins.

It's a 2009 Kawasaki KLW250S that I purchased for the wife, so that we can explore a little more, off the tarmac.

I am completely ignorant regarding different types of cleaners, etc.... So I need the collective advice here.

Step #1: Drain the fuel tank.
Step #2: Pull the carb, take it apart for proper cleaning. (which I need to do anyway, as I need to re-jet.... live at 7,500 elevation)
Step #3: replace fuel line from tank to carb.

If this were your bike, what would you use?

I think it prudent to flush the gas tank..... but is there an additive or cleaner that I need to include with the fuel?
What is the best carb cleaner?
Once finished, should I run a tank of gas that has some sort of cleaning additive?

I've heard guys talk about SeaFoam, etc.... Just don't know what is the best.

Thanks in advance for the advice.



[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
 
I would pull the plug and squirt Marvel Mystery Oil or some type of top end lubricant into the cylinder and kick it over with the ignition off to get some lubrication on the cylinder walls and rings before cranking it.
 
See if you can get a gallon of berryman carb soak at the local box stores... it'll come with a little basket for the small parts..

The tank is plastic right? I would just drain it and slosh some fresh fuel around in it...

Agree with lubing the Cylinder...

Change oil and filter (if it has one) tires and brake fluid.

Cool little bike.
 
Last edited:
As long as there is no rust in the tank, I'd just slosh some gas around and dump it, drain some clean gas thru fuel lines. After carb is cleaned, you should be good to go.
 
it might not be as bad as you think. Did he store it with a full tank of fuel or at what level?

Very nice find!
smile.gif
 
I'd probably just pull the carb disassemble and clean it out. Especially if you have to rejet. Should not take that long. New fuel filter. Run a few tanks of fuel through it and replace fuel filter again.
 
Nice find! Sea foam is a good cleaner. I would also add, change/flush brake fluid and coolant and service the chain.
 
Last edited:
This bike has a metal gas tank. Actually surprised me that it does, but no worries with the gas tank, as I just ordered a 3 gallon IMS plastic. The stock is only 2 gallons, so an extra gallon will give us the range we need, hopefully 150+ miles.

A new plug is on order, so when I change it, I will add some Mystery to the cylinder.

And yep.... I have a new air filter and 3 new oil filters on order. I will dump the 10 year old factory fill..... pour in Rotella T4 and run it for a good, long bike ride, getting it good and hot and mixed up.... Come home and dump it. Change the filter and then pour in my own mix (half T6 and half T4). Probably over-kill.... but I only blow a filter and a quart of oil.

I also found an FMF PowerCore4 on clearance on Ebay for this bike and I will be stripping off all of the Kalifornia emissions, opening up the air box where she can breath..... so the jetting might be an experiment for a while.


While there is ice and snow in my subdivision for the next 2 month..... I will pull off the forks and replace the seals and dust covers and refill with some new, 5w fork oil... cause I just noticed they are leaking. I will also lube the steering stem bearings.

Not wanting my wife riding on 10 year old tires, I ordered new sneakers and new tubes. While I have the rear wheel off, I will pull the swing arm bolt and lube the swing arm bearings.

Dumping the brake fluid or having to do anything with the brakes will probably wait until the 20-21 winter.

Coolant is an easy flush and fill and will be done before trying to start.
 
Last edited:
Did you mean 2009 KLX250S???

What ever you do... first spin the engine over without starting or until
the red low oil pressure light extinguishes to force fresh oil between
crankshaft and the journals... this action is necessary to prevent any
metal to metal wear on start up... because after 10 years the risk is
that the oil separating these critical parts is unknown...
 
Put new gas in the tank. Drain the float bowl ,new engine oil and see if it starts and runs. Go from there.
 
Put new gas in the tank. Drain the float bowl ,new engine oil and see if it starts and runs. Go from there.
 
Originally Posted by BusyLittleShop
Did you mean 2009 KLX250S???

What ever you do... first spin the engine over without starting or until
the red low oil pressure light extinguishes to force fresh oil between
crankshaft and the journals... this action is necessary to prevent any
metal to metal wear on start up... because after 10 years the risk is
that the oil separating these critical parts is unknown...



Yes, KLX250S... that was a typo.


You guys may laugh at this, but the local bike mechanic that I admire the most and usually get his opinion... said to do this.....

Get three friends..... lift the bike and turn it upsides down. Set it on blocks on the ends of the handlebars and seat. Let it rest in that position, over-night. Next day, turn it back over for a few hours, before you try to start it. He claims the oil will penetrate all the important parts of the top-end and then when it is turned back over for a few hours the oil will settle back in to the sump and be ready for some cranking.

Him telling me to do this, sparked my memory of a situation I was in a while back. A few years ago I purchase a very nice Honda Genset that the owner said was seized. The Genset was basically brand new, but had sat in a storage shed unused for 4 years. When I tried to pull the cord... it was seized. The small engine mechanic that I occasionally use told be to turn it upside down and leave it that way for a week. Then flip it over... after about an hour, see if you can pull the cord. It worked like a charm and that Genset has been working perfectly for me for years.

Maybe the bike is about to go... rubber side up!


.......
 
Did you know it didn't run when you bought it? Seems like a fool's errand. I mean if it's a barn car that you will restore fully, that's one thing. But that bike looks great and I absolutely would have verified it ran prior to purchase, but that's me.
 
Originally Posted by Chris Meutsch
Did you know it didn't run when you bought it? Seems like a fool's errand. I mean if it's a barn car that you will restore fully, that's one thing. But that bike looks great and I absolutely would have verified it ran prior to purchase, but that's me.


Fools Errand?????? Giddy Up!

Love the way you think!..... love it! Please keep passing up these opportunities, cause I will cash in!

Carbureted engine... not running because it has been sitting.... Yep... Nothing to see here.... just move on.......

Guys like you make these deals on Craigslist a dream for me!!!!!!! Pennies on the dollar!

.......
 
Last edited:
WOW Man!! NICE Find! Wow. I'm jealous. Tip it over. Haha! It'll probably work just fine. 1/2 hour of tinkering and you'll have that thing running like brand new. Wow....what a find. Did I mention I'm jealous?
 
Update.......


Tore the Carb completely apart and it is the worst I have ever seen. (I've rebuilt 8 Carbs) There was so much pink gunk on top of the Pilot Jet, it took me 5 minutes of digging and cleaning just to get to the point I could get the screw driver in there to remove it.

Carb is now completely cleaned, after two days of working on it in the evenings. Old jets are in the trash..... New Jets installed. Needle is shimmed properly. Float valve is cleaned and working properly. Starter jet has been drilled to 0.4572mm, #77 bit (as this jet is permanent and can't be replaced on this Keihin).

This is a California version bike. So I stripped off all the Smog/Emissions and installed a block-off plate on next to the header and I closed off both the vacuum ports on the carb and air box. I also opened up the air box, removing the snorkle and drilling some additional holes. I also removed the stock exhaust and fitted a nice looking FMF. The battery was dead, so the bike got a new Lithium that weighs 1.2 lbs.

I am weighing everything I have removed and so far the bike is 22lbs lighter!!!!


[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
 
Last edited:
Back
Top